Blogging From A To Z Challenge: One

Today’s Letter is O

Welcome to the A To Z Blogging Challenge for the month of April. I’ve not participated in anything like this before but thought it might be fun. I’ve decided to go with a “theme”. My theme is Japanese. I currently live in Japan and I thought it would be interesting to pick a word or place and ”teach” it to you in Japanese.

One In Japanese Is: ichi

Japanese Symbol For One: 一

Here when you go grocery shopping, let’s say at the Japanese store, Universe…you either take your own reusable green bags or you purchase a bag for a few Yen each. Half the time we go there it is on a whim, we’ve been out all day or just went out to dinner and want to pick up a Japanese snack or drink or cake.

We went one night and did not have a bag and at the time I did not realize they have a laminated card on the side of the register that you can put in your little basket, 1 card is a purchase of one bag. We needed a bag for our purchases and sometimes my brain gets jumbled as the Japanese speak fast and I feel like I have to answer fast. So I somehow knew the cashier asked me if I wanted a bag and thinking quickly I said one instead of ichi and seeing I was not understood I threw 1 finger up. Universal sign I guess because then they knew immediately I only wanted ichi bag.

Another word I don’t use to often is in fact simple enough to remember unless in my case then, you feel rushed. I have another “bag” story so I will just share. Another time we went and I still had noticed the bag card, we needed one yet again and I was getting ready to answer in Japanese and the cash register person spoke PERFECT English and asked me if I would like a bag! I was surprised as it was the one and since, only time I was asked a question in English by a Japanese person.